I realize this question can be considered vague for any reason to make comparisons, but I'm extremely curious to learn what range of money is spent on airhead projects.

Knowing there's a million variables to be considered (owners mechanical skill level, bike model/condition, type of upgrades/modifications, etc, etc.) I'd still love to hear what your stories are...

What did you start off with? How much of the project did you work on yourself vs. a service shop, how much have you spent in parts, service, customizations, labor, etc.? Feel free to include pictures of your bike!

I'm about to buy my first airhead and just interested to hear different stories. Thanks to anyone who shares!

Ok.. I have probably about $17,000 tied up in vintage BMW motorcycles. But that's 6 motorcycles ranging from 1957 to 1974, one with a factory sidecar, a 10gallon Hoske tank, a handful of spare parts, a couple dual-disc front ends, a couple complete charging systems, and a couple shelves full of misc spare parts.

Heck, one of those motorcycles is a complete, stock, good running bike with title, and I only have $274 in it.

You may find that after you buy one, Airheads have been known, by many a wife, to breed in the garage. Started out with 1 and now there are... a few more (need to be discreet in case the wife reads this!). The problem is that once you start looking for parts, you may find another bike for not much more... that you plan to scavenge parts off of. However, once you get it home... you look it over and think... well... it doesn't need much doing to it so you start buying a few parts... then you find you have almost enough parts to build another bike... so you look for another frame and engine... and the cycle repeats itself!

From the off...and to save money, you need to tell and convince yourself that you will...

1, never sell your spare parts, but you may trade or give some away to get someone elses bike running.
2, lie to yourself by rationalizing it to be cheaper to buy/fix/mod than it actually will. We all know the truth.
3, need three bikes because it just looks better than one or two... and we already know that you will buy a parts bike that will not end up being a parts bike.
4, not start looking at pictures of airheads... you will then start buying parts to build what you have seen
5, enjoy it more than any other motorcycle as long as you don't need working brakes and have thick soled boots to help you stop!

You may find that after you buy one, Airheads have been known, by many a wife, to breed in the garage. Started out with 1 and now there are... a few more (need to be discreet in case the wife reads this!). The problem is that once you start looking for parts, you may find another bike for not much more... that you plan to scavenge parts off of. However, once you get it home... you look it over and think... well... it doesn't need much doing to it so you start buying a few parts... then you find you have almost enough parts to build another bike... so you look for another frame and engine... and the cycle repeats itself!

From the off...and to save money, you need to tell and convince yourself that you will...

1, never sell your spare parts, but you may trade or give some away to get someone elses bike running.
2, lie to yourself by rationalizing it to be cheaper to buy/fix/mod than it actually will. We all know the truth.
3, need three bikes because it just looks better than one or two... and we already know that you will buy a parts bike that will not end up being a parts bike.
4, not start looking at pictures of airheads... you will then start buying parts to build what you have seen
5, enjoy it more than any other motorcycle as long as you don't need working brakes and have thick soled boots to help you stop!

Thats about the most concise truth that I have ever read on this forum

My LT ... bought for $5k ... then proceed upgrading electricals , lights , shockies and of course adding a 20 speaker sound system to it . Whilst I have put a few grand into that project ... it was far cheaper than developing a Drug and Alcohol dependency being a 24/7 sole parent in a small country town for nearly two years.

RS was a bargain at $3500 ... and a set of tyres , self service and a top box added ... has seen me well over the past 20 000 km's ( actually I save nearly $3000 riding it to the airport instead of driving the car for work )

R90S ... Well it has always been my dream bike ... paid a tad more than I wanted ... but less than market value ... New 3/4 added which cost more than my lounge room furniture .. but hey ... my kids are jumping all over my bike ( yet ). Its not a concourse bike ... and thats the way it will remain ... because other wise I will fall into that trap of being afraid to ride.

New projects arriving today ... I will have to work out what I am going to do with them.

But regardless of cost .. my bikes are far cheaper than me going into therapy